PVDFest returns for second year

PROVIDENCE MAYOR Jorge O. Elorza is seen at a press conference Wednesday at Faust announcing the second annual PVDFest, which will bring art and entertainment to the city in June. Elorza is accompanied by one of the puppets from the Big Nazo Band. / COURTESY MAYOR'S OFFICE
PROVIDENCE MAYOR Jorge O. Elorza is seen at a press conference Wednesday at Faust announcing the second annual PVDFest, which will bring art and entertainment to the city in June. Elorza is accompanied by one of the puppets from the Big Nazo Band. / COURTESY MAYOR'S OFFICE

PROVIDENCE – PVDFest, Rhode Island’s signature outdoor art festival, is returning for a second year June 2 through 5, bringing four days of art, food and music to Providence’s streets.
The event, previously called the Providence International Arts Festival, has been rebranded as PVDFest.
On Wednesday, Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, the city’s Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and founding creative partner FirstWorks announced the free event’s return.
Events will be held at Providence City Hall, FirstWorks plaza stage, Alex and Ani City Center and Burnside Park, as well as all along the Washington Street corridor to the Empire Street gateway.
“Building upon the success of last year’s festival, PVDFest will bring new artists and experiences for all of our attendees,” Elorza said in a statement. “We are lucky to have so many talented partners, collaborators, artists and performers participating in PVDFest and look forward to showcasing all that the Creative Capital has to offer to the entire world.”
Said Kathleen Pletcher, executive artistic director of the nonprofit FirstWorks, “PVDFest will transform the urban landscape of Kennedy Plaza and Washington Street into a magical space for meeting, playing and experiencing the arts. With a surprise on every street corner, it will be a spectacular mash-up of connecting art and place with audiences.”
Some of the highlights:

  • Firstworks said it will feature musicians from Cuba, Ghana and Haiti at its FirstWorks plaza stage and Alex and Ani stage lineups. In addition, FirstWorks will transform Kennedy Plaza into a pre-historic landscape with “Saurus,” a street theater performance from the Netherlands featuring stilt walkers dressed as dinosaurs.
  • The Dean Hotel will collaborate with The Avenue Concept to turn its parking lot into a daylong arts exhibition and block party.
  • AS220’s resident artists will open up their studios and AS220 Industries will hold an open house.
  • Beautiful Silence will help turn the Arnold Building parking lot into a dance floor featuring local DJs.
  • AC+T and WBRU will kick off the 2016 summer concert series at PVDFest on June 3 at the Alex and Ani City Center featuring The Heavy and Joy Formidable.

More information can be found at www.pvdfest.com.

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